Boyz II Men: US R&B group music streams shoot up 400% ahead of Kenya concert

The Spotify streams of legendary American R&B music group Boyz II Men have shot up since the announcement of the Kenyan stop of their debut Africa Tour, the music streaming company said Monday.

Boyz II Men is set to headline the second edition of the Stanbic Yetu Festival slated for June 10, which will also see them make stops in Uganda and South Africa.

The four-time Grammy Award-winning trio is widely considered one of the most iconic R&B groups in music history. According to Spotify data, streams of the band’s music have shot up by 416% since the day of the announcement of their tour, with the crowd favourite being End of the Road.

The average numbers of streams and searches are also enjoying an uptick of 191% and 124% respectively, Spotify said.

Boyz II Men are a significant part of the boy band wave that took the world by storm in the 90s. They enjoyed popularity with other bands such as Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, Blackstreet and New Edition among others.

Other hits from the group’s discography which have been enjoying a spike in Kenyan listenership are I'll Make Love To You, One Sweet Day, Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee.

The event is set to take place on Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Nairobi, and will also feature an exceptional line-up of both Kenyan and international R&B artists.

Among the Kenyan DJs set to entertain revellers during the event include; G-Money, DJ Grauchi, DJ Forro, Dj Shaky, CNG and DJ Cream.

Boyz II Men’s slew of international accolades also comprises 9 American Music Awards, 9 Soul Train Awards, 3 Billboard Awards, as well as the 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

They also earned themselves a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, besides scooping up a Casino Entertainment Award for their acclaimed residency at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, which has been ongoing since 2013.

The first edition of the Stanbic Yetu Festival took place last year with multi-award-winning American singer Anthony Hamilton headlining, alongside Kenyan acts Otile Brown and June Gachui.